Brace yourselves, Gator fans – tonight is just a taste of what’s coming on Sunday. Florida has already beaten all three of these teams this year, and most of those wins came in the O-Dome, so tonight should hopefully not be too stressful, but like I’ve said before – it’s postseason, anything can happen.
Missouri should also advance, beating Georgia and Iowa State, but the margin may be a little smaller. The Tigers’ best event is floor by a good margin, followed by bars, vault, and finally beam. Expect strong performances from powerhouse all-arounders Jocelyn Moore and Amari Celestine, as well as former SEC Specialist of the Year Sienna Schreiber (UB/BB/FX), freshman Hannah Horton (VT/FX), and transfer Mara Titarsolej (UB).
On its best day, Georgia could beat Mizzou on a little bit of an off day – it wouldn’t take much – but it feels unlikely given that Georgia’s best this season is such an outlier: just one score over 197.5. The Gymdogs’ best event is bars, followed by beam, floor, and then vault. Lily Smith is their star and can be counted on for strong performances on almost any event, but Ady Wahl (VT/FX), JaFree Scott (UB/BB), and Anya Turner (BB) are also all capable of 9.9+ performances.
Iowa State has already defeated Clemson to be part of this meet in last night’s play-in, so we know the Cyclones are hungry for it, but they’ll have a long way to go to qualify to Sunday’s final. Vault is their strongest event, followed by floor, beam, and bars. Don’t miss Josie Bergstrom on VT and BB, Noelle Adams on BB and FX, and Ella Schell and Kaia Parker on FX.
We’ll also see individual competitors from Clemson and Rutgers, including Kielyn McCright of Clemson who can really pack a punch on beam. She could sneak by and qualify to Nationals, representing her team at the big dance in the first year of its existence.
If you’ve been paying attention at all this season, you’re familiar with the Gators’ strengths and weaknesses. Vault has been a highlight this year, but sometimes they’ve struggled with landings. Bars gave some veterans the yips early-to-mid-season, but things seemed to be evening out as the postseason approached. Beam has overall been their best event, but there have been a few uncharacteristic misses from typical stalwarts Ellie Lazzari and Leanne Wong. Finally, floor has seen a huge rotating cast in the lineup trying to find the true top six, and we’ve even seen compositional changes in order to better refine the top performers’ routines. Ideally, tonight, we’re looking for:
- Dialed in landings with good amplitude on vault. If they can’t stick, they’d rather a controlled step forward than overpower it too much or undercook it.
- Hit handstands and stuck landings on bars, with no weird moments on low bar. Let’s hope they’ve been drilling those low bar pirouettes and handstands these last few weeks.
- Confidence and calm on beam – they cannot let the pressure get to their heads. UCLA just lost out on a finals berth by a single tenth to Arizona State, it won’t take much.
- Controlling the tumbling landings and really performing to the full extent of their ability on floor will be key. Strong performance quality and precision of gymnastics was well rewarded in the first session.
The coaches will also have to juggle needing to qualify tonight with needing to compete again on Sunday – one thing about postseason they haven’t practiced this year is a two-meet weekend. Lineups may not look 100% ideal tonight, especially if they’re trying to save anyone who might be nursing an injury for finals and/or nationals. They don’t need to win, they just need to qualify. The pacing has been really smart so far this season, so I can’t imagine it wouldn’t continue this weekend. Jenny Rowland knows what she’s doing.
It all starts at 7pm on ESPN+, but if you don’t have access or can’t make it to a TV, we’ll have all the quick hits right here!
7:03pm: Rotation 1 time!
Draser, UF VT: Y1.5, absolutely DRILLS it! Just floats it down, sticky feet on the landing, does not move. What a great start!
Schell, ISU UB: Release is clean. Bail a little floppy? Final handstand a little short, but pirouette is great! Double tuck is stuck!
Howard, UGA BB: Acro series is super steady, very nice. Split to switch half, definitely short of 180. Side aerial, little wobble there. Sticks her gainer full!
Schreiber, MIZ FX: Front double full to start, coming out strong. Rudi back layout to straight jump, takes it riiiight to the edge of the mat but doesn’t go out. What a strong leadoff for them!
Nguyen, VT: Y1.5, better distance than Draser, just a little shift to one side. One of her best!
Morgan, BB: Acro series is solid. Switch to switch half, little check there. Sam’s right, she’s landing very straight-legged. 1.5 dismount, single step.
Cooke, UB: Missed this entirely, I apologize. Looked like a step on the dismount.
Pilgrim, VT: Y1.5, small hop forward, but sooo clean in the air.
Kratzer, FX: Whip through to double tuck, well controlled, nice and high. Really selling this choreo section, love watching them. Double pike, definitely short there, has to step forward. 1.5 to front lay to close, very clean there. Another solid one for the Tigers.
Battle, BB: Switch to split, clean 180 positions there, some feet. Front toss to beat jump, nice quick connection. Bhs loso, dead on. Gainer full off the side is stuck!
Willis, UB: Another hit, but the dismount was really close to the bar, a little slide back.
Ferris, VT: Y1.5, just a little slide back, but much better control than we’ve seen in the last two weeks from her.
Horton, FX: Full in to start, well controlled. Big air on her leap series, very precise in her positions. Punch through to double tuck, again, good control.
Turner, BB: Bhs loso loso, little lean but covers well. Switch to split, a little labored but hits 180 it looks like. Roundoff 1.5, a little shift back.
Loyim, UB: Jaeger, a little close to the bar. Pak salto looks clean, although the angle doesn’t love her. Great final handstand. DLO is like a dart into the mat, couldn’t move if she wanted to! Well done.
Wong, VT: Yhalf on pike half off, little hop back, solid amplitude this week, not too flat like we’ve seen before. This is a great rotation for the Gators, I’m thrilled.
Celestine, FX: Full in, huuuge air for her. Dance series is great. Front full front lay, very clean. Really having fun with this choreo section, choreographed for her by brother Artyon, a former DWTS Juniors pro. Closes out with a double back – so impressive. Love her routine.
Smith, BB: Front aerial to bhs loso, pretty steady. Dance series very clean, gorgeous 180 positions. Stuck gainer full off the side.
Thomas, UB: Jaeger is strong, pak salto had some big leg separation. DLO, floats it down but her knees give on the landing, couldn’t see if the knee went down or not but big step forward.
Lazzari, VT: Y1.5, big bound forward. They’ll be able to drop that, but they’ll want someone else in that six slot for Sunday and Nationals, I think.
Scott, BB: Front handspring to bhs loso, that’s fun! Switch to split, very clean. A step on the dismount, but overall a strong routine.
Griffin, FX: Punch through to double back, great amplitude there. Double pike, looked almost over the line but I didn’t see a hand. Triple dance sequence to finish, hits each position really precisely, didn’t see any landing issues either. Another strong one for the Tigers!
Basuel, UB: Tkachev to pak, that’s nice. Pirouette is nice and on top of the bar, double tuck dismount is stuck! A great finish.
McCright, indiv Clemson BB: Bhs loso, super steady. Dance series was good, love seeing a tuck jump full. Single step on the dismount – should be a good score, but not sure it’ll threaten Smith’s 9.95, who’s currently in qualifying position if they don’t make Nationals.
Moore, FX: DLO to open is fabulous. Triple dance series, all the split positions looked fabulous. Punch through to double tuck to finish – that’ll be a huge score for Mizzou.
Wells, indiv Clem UB: Tkachev to immediate overshoot, strong connection there. Slings out her full in dismount but somehow stuck it?? Wow.
Clark, indiv Clem FX: Her DLO just fliiies, wow. Leaps are fantastic, she really shows off those oversplits. Really performing the heck out of this choreography, wow. Punch layout front full front tuck and ooh, sits the tuck, that’s rough. She had such a great routine going! Bummer.
AFTER ONE: UF 49.575, UGA 49.45, MIZ 49.3, ISU 48.975
THAT is the kind of vault rotation that will take Florida to Four on the Floor, although they’ll want something a little better from Lazzari or to slot back in a stronger landing from Blakely.
I’m shocked to see this level of competition from Georgia against Mizzou on Mizzou’s best event – it’s definitely going to be closer than we expected between them, barring disaster from one or the other.
7:33pm: Schreiber, MIZ VT: Yfull, good amplitude, just a little slide back.
Blakely, UF UB: Maloney, clean, to pak, oh no! She missed her second hand and came off – she twisted badly, I bet that hurt her wrist. Gets back up, finishes with her dismount, just a hop forward. That’s not good.
Loyim, ISU BB: Bhs loso, nice and patient with it. Front aerial to beat jump, good quick connection. Gainer full off the side is stuck!
Fitzgerald, UGA FX: Rudi to loso, good clean start. A little off-axis on her wolf element in her dance series, but plenty of amplitude and no landing cheats, from what I could tell. Double back to finish, well controlled lunge. A good leadoff for the Dogs.
Davis, VT: Yfull, another little slide back. About the same as Schreiber.
O’Brochta, BB: A fun tick-tock mount, love seeing that. Bhs bhs loso, strong. Switch to split, maybe a little shy of 180. Gainer pike off the end, fights for it and doesn’t move! Good for her.
Griffin, VT: Yfull, another big bounce, and another step. Without the 10.0 starts, no one is getting 9.9+ on vaults like this.
Wilke, BB: Full turn to start, clean. Cat leap to front toss to back tuck, that’s a fun series! Don’t see that very often. Cat leap to switch side, hits 180 fine. 1.5 dismount stuck!
Nguyen, UB: A looooooong wait for her while they figure out Blakely’s score. Finally starts as Wilke is finishing. Maloney to pak, pretty clean, some minor leg sep. Last handstand maybe a little shy? DLO, little hop. Still, it’s a hit, they’ll take that.
Celestine, VT: Y1.5, just a little hop forward but a deep squat. Still, miles better than her peers so far.
Laclair, FX: First pass is clean, nice twisting form. This choreography with this song is honestly pretty underwhelming… Back double to loso, her legs got weirdly tucked in the middle there? That will probably be pretty heavily deducted.
Adams, BB: Bhs loso, a little bobble and lean. Switch to switch, maybe shy of 180? Dismount looked stuck from here!
Lazzari, UB: Great first handstand. Tkachev is good. Pak salto is clean. Full dismount, just a little bouncy there. Still, another hit. Breathe in, breathe out.
Moore, VT: Y1.5, just a little hop forward.
Bergstrom, BB: Cat leap to front toss to bhs, patient with it, doesn’t wobble at all even though she seemed off. Switch to switch, maybe shy of 180 on the first one. Split jump is clean. Stuck dismount!
Cashman, FX: 1.5 to front lay to start, very clean. Dance series is nice and high. Double tuck, well controlled as she finishes.
Horton, VT: Y1.5, just another hop forward. Still, so great to see her back doing this after getting the twisties a few weeks ago!
Draser, UB: Maloney to pak, legs glued together, very nice. Strong final handstand. DLO, single step back. That should be a good score. They needed that.
Thomas, BB: Strong so far on the series. Switch to switch side, good 180 positions. Roundoff 1.5, little hop forward.
Wahl, FX: Full in to start, almost to the line but stays in. Punch through to double back, short there, pops it up quickly to the lunge.
Pilgrim, UB: Maloney to pak, super clean leg form, gorgeous. Final handstand is good. Full in is stuck cold! That’s much better, thank you!
Wells, indiv Clem BB: Switch to switch 3/4, that’s unusual! Nice. Bhs loso, snaps those arms down to lock it in. Roundoff double full is stuck! That’ll be excellent for her, well done.
Snyder, FX: Rudi to layout to… jump position was imprecise, that’ll be deducted. Dance series is clean. Double pike, really well controlled on that one.
Wong, UB: Strong opening handstand. Maloney to pak, very clean there. van Leeuwen, looks good. DLO, single step forward, but that’s okay. Doesn’t need to be perfect, they just needed to drop Blakely’s fall and they did that.
Smith, FX: Front double full, big bound forward, back foot comes dragging behind her. 1.5 to front lay, super clean, better control there. Switch side to wolf jump full, those are clean, although the wolf looks a little labored. Rudi to straddle jump, incredible oversplit. A great routine for Georgia.
Arnold, indiv Clem FX: Full in, front foot moves on the lunge. Dance series is nice, great hang time in the air. 2.5 to punch front to finish, very strong.
AFTER TWO: UF 98.875, UGA 98.75, MIZ 98.675, ISU 98.325
Crisis averted, but the Gators cannot afford another gaffe like that – this meet is too close, and Sunday will be even less forgiving.
Laclair, UGA VT: Yfull, bounce back.
Burns, Miz UB: Blind change is fine. Jaeger is big to immediate overshoot, good amplitude. Dismount is stuck!
Draser, UF BB: Bhs loso, dead on, good. Dance series is clean, no issues there. Roundoff 1.5 twist, small step back. A good start. Very calm, they’ll take that.
Manternach, ISU FX: Double back to start, good control. Double pike, another solid landing. Really shining with this choreography, even as simple as it is.
Smith, VT: Yfull, bounce back.
Blakely, BB: Front aerial bhs, might have had some problems but corrected them mid air, showed no sign. Switch half to beat jump, very clean. Full turn is fine. Gainer full, little hop in place.
Patrick, UB: Good handstands. Jaeger is good, almost overarches her handstand but saves it! Bail is fine. Little hop on her dismount.
Scott, VT: Yfull, not a lot of distance, big bounce back.
Cooke, FX: Front double full, runs out of it a little bit, but stays in bounds. Dance series is alright, wolf elements a little off axis. 1.5 to front lay to finish out, nice and clean.
Pilgrim, BB: Candle mount to start. Bhs loso, just lays it in, so patient. Beat jump to front aerial, super steady. Leap series is lovely, split positions are so good. Gainer full dismount stuck! She’s dialing it up for them – they need that!
Marshall, UB: Jaeger to overshoot, good amplitude. Looked like a little shift back on the double back dismount.
Howard, VT: Yfull is stuck! That’ll be a big score for them.
Wilke, FX: 1.5 to front lay, good control as she dances out. Dance series is great, love the height she gets. Double pike to close, well controlled lunge.
Nguyen, BB: Love the roll mount. Onodi to bhs, breaks at the hips but doesn’t fall. The leaps! Just gorgeous. Bhs 1.5 twist is stuck maybe? Maybe an adjustment? Hard to tell from this angle.
8:15pm: Battle, VT: Y1.5, small hop forward.
Schreiber, UB: Great releases, great final handstand, but couldn’t stick the landing – just a little slide back on her DLO.
Wong, BB: Switch leap to split leap, excellent extension through both, no question about the 180s. Bhs loso, just a little arm wave there. Front aerial to beat jump, well connected, very clean. Roundoff double full is stuck! Well done!
Schell, FX: Rudi to double stag, travels back quite a bit in the air. 1.5 to front lay, much better control there. Cyclones just keep on trucking, doing their own thing.
Wahl, VT: Y1.5, another small hop forward.
Moore, UB: Jaeger to overshoot, very aggressive in that release sequence. Sticks her full in!
Lazzari, BB: Big deep breath before she mounts. Bhs loso loso, one of her best this year! Switch to split, so sharp. Split 1/2 from side stand, very clean. Cartwheel gainer full – stuck! She needed that boost of confidence, and the Gators will love to have that score. Should be a great rotation score.
Parker, FX: Double wolf to start, that’s fun. Didn’t see what her first pass was but it was a hit. Double back to finish, well done.
Arnold, indiv Clem VT: Y1.5, little step back.
Titarsolej, UB: This’ll be a treat. Great opening handstand work. Maloney to pak salto, legs just perfectly together, toes pointed perfectly. Great final handstand, pirouette on top of the bar. Double tuck stuck – that’s a big score if I’ve ever seen one.
Adams, FX: Layout to Rudi, big slide back. Cracks a smile as she looks to the judges and starts dancing, love that. Dance series is excellent, very crisp in the corner. Double back to close it out, well controlled – a big score for the Cyclones.
Wells, indiv Clem FX: Full in, didn’t get a lot of air but somehow landed really well controlled and not underrotated? Dance series is clean. 1.5 to through to back double full – that’s a great routine!
AFTER THREE: UF 148.45, MIZ 148.15, UGA 148.05, ISU 147.525
Mizzou has overtaken Georgia now, and gets to go to beam, which has been quite loosely scored all day. Georgia will go to bars, though, which is its best event, so it’ll be a race to the finish, down to the last routine, I expect, unless Mizzou gets splatty.
Florida still needs to be cautious and not take anything for granted, but it’s in a much better position than at the halfway point. I’ll be interested to see who ends up being in the lineup for Gators floor as well.
8:35pm: Rotation 4! Let’s goooo!
Finnegan, UGA UB: Tkachev is solid, pak salto pretty clean. Sticks her full in – great start for Georgia as they try to take it back from Mizzou.
Nguyen, UF FX: Front double full to sissone, one of her good ones, though I didn’t have a great angle as far as movement in the jump. Switch ring to switch half, really milking the drama in this choreography. Y turn is gorgeous. 1.5 to front lay to finish, such a quick twister. A great leadoff for this team!
Wills, ISU VT: Big delay due to lineup changes, apparently. Here we go. Yfull, not a lot of height, just a little hop back.
Howard, UB: Tkachev to overshoot, pretty clean. Pirouette is right on top of the bar, to double tuck dismount – stuck!
Davis, MIZ BB: Bhs loso, little check. Straddle to sheep, not the worst one I’ve ever seen but still not deduction-free. Sticks her gainer full off the side.
Lazzari, FX: Front double full, lands a little lock-legged but handles it okay, it looks like. Triple dance sequence is solid, great positions in the air. 1.5 to front lay, excellent control, just an arabesque out of it. A great back half for the senior tonight.
Loyim, VT: Yfull, very short, twisted too early and had to stumble forward on the landing.
Light, BB: Bhs bhs loso, some knees in there but very steady. Dance series is good. Cartwheel to knee, that’s a fun little low-to-the-beam sequence. Cat leap to gainer pike off the end, stuck!
Wahl, UB: Maloney to pak, legs together, good. DLO, little hop back.
Pilgrim, FX: 1.5 through to double back, a little short, has to lunge forward instead of back. Dance series is clean, just two elements now since they changed that first pass. Really performing her choreo, hitting every mark in the music. Orphan front tuck, hate it but I guess she needs it? Double pike, overcooks it and sits it down! What?! Mistimed her opening out of the pike, very unusual for her. Now the Gators have a score they need to drop.
Parker, VT: Yfull, much better amplitude than her predecessors.
Snyder, UB: Close on her Jaeger, was supposed to connect it so there may be a start value issue. Transition is fine, double tuck dismount but can’t stick it.
Griffin, BB: Front toss to bhs, a little sluggish to connect but I don’t think they’ll take it from her? Switch leap to switch split jump, that’s kinda fun. Bhs 1.5, little slide back.
8:45pm: Blakely, FX: She needs a good one here. Punch front through to double back, a little short but covers well. Dance series looked clean to me. 1.5 to front full to finish out, great control as she finishes out.
Bergstrom, VT: Yfull, short, just tried too hard to stick I think. Covered better than some of her peers but it won’t be a good one.
Schaffer, BB: Acro series and she’s off! Oh no, they needed that score. Switch to split, clean 180 positions there as she gets back up. 1.5 dismount, looked like a small shift back.
Scott, UB: Tkachev to pak, very nice. Deep knee bend on her DLO, somehow hung onto the stick?
Adams, VT: Yfull, much better looked like just a small adjustment.
Wong, FX: DLO to start, one of her good ones. Gorgeous dance series, just lovely extension through her toes and arms every time. Whip half to front full, kinda had to pull it around but made it work. Just one more hit and the Gators will be safe.
Celestine, BB: Single wolf turn to start, clean. Side aerial to side aerial, that’s fun. Wobble after the split 3/4 but keeps it small. Maybe stuck? Maybe a small bounce? Hard to tell.
Smith, UB: Maloney to bail, leg form is super clean, hits handstand well. Sticks her dismount, but maybe shy on the last handstand? SHould be a great score though.
Schell, VT: Yfull, no amplitude but landing is relatively fine. A good meet overall for the Cyclones, but just not enough in the end.
Draser, FX: Punch through to double back, good control. Double wolf turn, not the best but passable. Dance series is clean, good split positions. Double pike, well controlled – they’re into Sunday!
Schreiber, BB: Acro series is clean, good. Switch half, balance check. Split to split 3/4, great positions, well extended. Gainer full is stuck!
Baiser, indiv Rutgers UB: Tkachev is great, pak salto is clean. Switch kip isn’t my favorite. DLO, small shift – good for her, waiting the whole night just to do her one routine.
Wells, indiv Clem VT: Yfull, deep knee bend but doesn’t move a muscle! Dropped it in from the sky, well done.
FINAL: UF 197.925, MIZ 197.525, UGA 197.425, ISU 196.575
Florida and Mizzou will face Utah and Michigan State on Sunday!
If what I’m reading about tiebreakers is correct, Lily Smith is qualified as the all-arounder from this regional, no matter who qualifies on Sunday, as she tied for the AA title with Nikki Smith at 39.675 and wins the tiebreak if Michigan State doesn’t qualify. Georgia represented at Nationals – who would’ve thought?
Provided Florida qualifies, Emma Silberman of Maryland will be the vault individual qualifier, as she and Victoria Nguyen tied for the vault title with a 9.95. If Florida doesn’t qualify, it’ll come down to the head judge’s score as a tiebreak, which we won’t have until official results are posted in an hour or so.
If Florida and Utah qualify, bars qualification becomes a tie between Nikki Smith and Mara Titarsolej. Again, we’ll have to wait on the head judge to break that tie. If Florida misses out, Anya Pilgrim will go, as she tied for the title with Lily Smith for a 9.975, and Smith is already going for AA. If Utah misses out and Florida does not, Amelie Morgan will enter into the tiebreak conversation with Nikki Smith and Titarsolej, unless Michigan State also qualifies, which would mean Smith qualifies with her team.
Again, provided Florida and Utah qualify, Nikki Smith will qualify for beam with her 9.95. If Utah misses out in any scenario, Abby Paulson would go, as she won the event outright with a 9.975. If Utah qualifies and Florida misses out, it’s down to a tiebreak between Smith and Ellie Lazzari, who both earned 9.95s. If Michigan State goes and Florida does not, it would just be Lazzari.
And for floor, if Utah and Florida qualify, it’s a tiebreak between Skyla Schulte and Jocelyn Moore as to who qualifies. If Utah misses out in any scenario, Jaylene Gilstrap would go, as she won the event outright with a 9.95. If Utah goes and Florida does not, it’s a tiebreak between Leanne Wong and Victoria Nguyen, who both earned 9.925s.
I’ll be sure to tweet the final qualification projections once we have the judging breakdowns. In the meantime we’re going to tune into Berkeley’s second semifinal at 10 – but we’ll see you back here on Sunday at 5pm for the Regional Final!